The inventive concept relates to semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs), and more particularly, to semiconductor ICs including a pulse generation circuit capable of stably adjusting a pulse width. The inventive concept also relates to apparatuses including this type of pulse generation circuit.
The master/slave flip-flop is widely used as a storage element within a broad class of digital circuits and systems. In certain digital systems demanding high-speed data processing, the pulsed flip-flop is commonly used. As suggested by its name, the pulsed flip-flip operates in response to a pulse signal. The contemporary pulsed flip-flop consumes relatively more current than the master/slave flip-flop.
Certain conventional pulse generation circuits include an inverter, a delay element connected to the inverter and providing an output signal, and an AND gate performing an AND operation with respect to a clock signal and the output signal to generate a pulse signal (or “pulse”). The “pulse width”, or activation duration of the pulse, is largely determined by the amount of delay provided by the delay element. Thus, when process variation(s) occur during the fabrication of the delay element, the actual pulse width provided by the delay element may be narrower or wider than the intended (or “nominal”) pulse width. Due to process related variations in the provided pulse width, the set-up time and/or hold time for conventional pulsed flip-flops may vary.